Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty. ~Thomas Jefferson

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Tide comes in. Tide goes out. You can’t explain that.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

Marge, god is saying you’re stupid.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

Not rolling over. fuck you, make me.

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

Republicans do not trust women.

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.”

The low info voters probably won’t even notice or remember by their next lap around the goldfish bowl.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

When you’re in more danger from the IDF than from Russian shelling, that’s really bad.

If ‘weird’ was the finish line, they ran through the tape and kept running.

President Musk and Trump are both poorly raised, coddled 8 year old boys.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

Dear elected officials: Trump is temporary, dishonor is forever.

People identifying as christian while ignoring christ and his teachings is a strange thing indeed.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Cat Blogging / He Has a Name

He Has a Name

by | 143 Comments

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I’d called him this a couple times while petting him earlier, and was sitting here watching tv and it hit me, so I walked to his bedroom door, with Lily and Rosie next to me looking in, and said “Come here, Boss. Here, kitty kitty.” And this is what happened:

boss

Say hello to Boss. It was meant to be.

Reader Interactions

143Comments

  1. 1.

    gbear

    Glad to hear it wasn’t ‘Kitty Kitty’.

    Kitty, by the way, was my grandmother’s name. In contrast, my boss is an asshole. Hope your Boss works out better.

  3. 3.

    NotMax

    Silver lining of sorts: Blog infection was the impetus to finally spend a little time finishing leveling my pandaren monk up to 90.

    So, thanks.

    re: cat creature – looks like a Philo to me.

  23. 23.

    Jean

    Oh, he’s handsome! I missed all the cat news because of “malware” warnings and am now catching up. “Boss” is perfect. Do Rosie and Lily know that’s a name and not a title?

  24. 24.

    catclub

    “his bedroom door,”

    Bossy Boy would soon appear in the lexicon at my house. Also variants: Bossypants.

  26. 26.

    Jennifer

    @amk: All pets have multiple names, don’t they? My kitty’s given name is Eartha Kitty; she also answers to Scootie, Scoots, Scoots Toots, Tootie, Kittywumps, Keywumps, Sweetie, Kitty, and a few more I’m not thinking of at the moment.

  27. 27.

    catclub

    Of course, I think it was the Unix fortunes that point out that a boss is an ornamental knob.

  28. 28.

    CaseyL

    Bosscat.

    He does have the slightly-scowling look of a Boss. It might just be the angle of the photograph, but my kitty Jeannie has the same built-in srs-bzness expression.

    It will be fun when you go running around the neighborhood calling for him.

  30. 30.

    Jebediah

    As it should be… I look forward to seeing what other nicknames he ends up earning himself.

  34. 34.

    Redshirt

    Names are weird, like now. Surely, Boss is not his real name. Nor was it Bagger or Bugger either. We don’t know what it is, but we pretend we can name things.

    Is your name real? Ever had a nickname take precedence over your “real” name? Ever changed names?

    Weird.

  37. 37.

    pat

    Hey, weren’t you planning on going blog-less for a few days? And leaving us all in the lurch, checking every day to see if there was any news of you? And we were all so sorry for you in your Dutch oven of grief with your goggies, and then in less that a week here we are welcoming a new…

    Boss of the Blog.

    Much better.

  38. 38.

    boss bitch

    I like the name. Remember that pic of Tunch when he was a year old? Can you take a pic like that of Boss? a full frontal pic?

  39. 39.

    Culture of Truth

    Who’s the boss?
    Yes
    That’s what I’m asking – what’s the boss’ name?
    Yes
    Who?
    The boss
    Yes
    That’s his name?
    Yes
    The boss?
    Exactly

  40. 40.

    Eljai

    He is his own feline to be sure. And yet, that expression. It has a certain tunchitude.
    Ah, the circle of life.

  41. 41.

    Elie

    You did good. May both of you find the connection we so yearn. He is a brown tabby so I feel very good that Boss will be great…

  43. 43.

    joel hanes

    Going to get me a Boss cat
    One gonna treat me right
    Work hard in the daytime
    Sure get stoned at night

    Big Boss cat
    Can’t you hear me when I call ?

  45. 45.

    Culture of Truth

    “You know, just because you’re named ‘Boss’ doesn’t mean…

    awwww.. screw it…”

  47. 47.

    forked tongue

    But given how much Cole got bossed around by a cat named Tunch, I look forward with a somewhat depraved interest to seeing how much he’ll become the bitch of a cat named Boss.

  49. 49.

    A Ghost To Most

    I think we have a case where your name for him is the same as his name for him.

  51. 51.

    JWL

    Weird. Honest to God, seconds prior to surfing once again into Balloon Juice, I clicked onto a recording of E Street’s Pink Cadillac. I’m listening to it now, as I type.

    Weird, huh?

  53. 53.

    forked tongue

    Such is the state of meritocracy in America. A completely unknown, unproven cat moves in and is immediately awarded the perks of a Boss.

  57. 57.

    Culture of Truth

    Speaking of boss, it’s 105 degress but Tiger wants the windows open, so… no AC.
    I may die tonight because of this formerly stray homeless kitten.

  58. 58.

    Suzanne

    Huzzah!

    I like the name.

    My mom named her cat similarly. She couldn’t think of a name, so a few hours after bringing kitty home, she said (in her best Hannibal Lecter voice), “Hello, Clarice”. We instantly recognized that Clarice was The Name. Of course, now she’s also Reese, Reese-A-Roni, Sassypants, and many others.

  59. 59.

    Emerald

    Can’t wait to learn how he bosses the doggies around.

    Because he’s a Maine Coon cat. He will.

  60. 60.

    trollhattan

    Needed to be one syllable. “Boss” works. Come to think of it, Boss lounges, big pink thing works.

    Perfect.

    And, congrats!

  62. 62.

    Leslie

    Hey there, Boss; you are a fine-lookin’ feline. My best-beloved kitty Chaucer, who left me last December, was a tabby, and it’s my personal prejudiced opinion that they are a special kind of cat. You look like you have a little of his attitude.

  63. 63.

    Leslie

    Oh, also, I don’t know if there’s some way we’re supposed to report these things, but there are a couple of broken images on earlier posts — the one of Tunch on the Insane MARC update thread, and the one of Sasha climbing the cat tree.

  67. 67.

    Face

    So you have a boss all day at work, and now have a “Boss” at home, too? And you’re not even married?

  70. 70.

    maya

    And when Lily and Rosie do something they should do they can now blame it on the Boss-a-nova.

  77. 77.

    SIA

    @JWL: I was listening to Asbury Park while working today. One of the best shows ever, Springsteen in a smallish auditorium in Kansas City MO, circa 1976-77 IIRC. YAY BOSS!

  78. 78.

    melissaD

    I do like the nickname of BossyPants, he has, as a commenter noted, a Tunchitude look in that pix

  80. 80.

    Mike E

    Heh. That was the name of our female cat back before Miss E came on the scene; Miller (a la Repo Man) was the other furball. Good’ern.

    He has, I’m sure, already adopted the house name for you: Staff.

  83. 83.

    kideni

    Well, to cats we are merely the staff, so it’s only appropriate that you acknowledge his title.

  88. 88.

    Perfect Tommy

    Congrats John
    Also too – Someone should update the Tunch entry in the lexicon and such

  89. 89.

    Keith

    I had a co-worker call a new employee that once a few weeks ago, and now the new guy keeps calling him ‘Boss” in every conversation. Drives me up a wall.

  92. 92.

    lojasmo

    There is a wonderful african fellow who calls all us charge nurses “boss”. It drives me nuts.

  96. 96.

    Redshirt

    @lojasmo: Me too, since I’m sure there’s been quite a few people at various times and places who said to him “Here, Kitty Kitty”. I bet most cats think their name is Here Kitty Kitty.

  100. 100.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    @Redshirt: Walter John Williams wrote a book about that, our need to name things. The book was meh (beyond the awesome concept of have two simultaneous personas so one could be in the virtual world), but the idea that we have to name something to control it has stuck with me.

  103. 103.

    Mnemosyne

    @Sparky:

    I love Jack Benny.

    Jack Benny was the kind of boss who insisted on hiring a black man to be on his radio show in the 19-freakin’-30s when radio executives were sure the Southern states would boycott the show if they knew there was a real live black man talking and not a white man pretending to be black. And he continued working with Eddie Anderson for the next 30 years.

    That’s the kind of boss Benny was.

  105. 105.

    Wayne t

    I was half expecting his name might be Malware.
    To memorize his monumental arrival.
    This is as exciting as the royal baby.
    boss has arrived.

  108. 108.

    Mary G

    Congratulations to the four of you. Did he come right up to the foggiest or hang back a bit?

  109. 109.

    Wrye

    Very glad to see this! And if anyone is confused about why you went and got him so soon, just refer to Boss as a “therapy cat” and that should shut them up.

  110. 110.

    TaMara (BHF)

    Baby we were born to run. Welcome Boss. Congrats John. And Tunchitude needs to be an official BJ word from this point forward. I suggest we agree we cannot cast a vote for any candidate unless he or she possesses the appropriate Tunchitude.

  112. 112.

    NanerSalad

    You the Boss, and so it begins. Had a polydactyl named Lover and he was my manager for 20 years.

  115. 115.

    Gustopher

    That’s a good looking cat. Good name too, clearly named after Springsteen. I was just listening to “We Take Care Of Our Own” a little earlier.

  116. 116.

    Steeplejack

    @Valdivia:

    Saw your message the other night. I think I read The Girl by the Lake (Karin Fossum?), but I haven’t seen the movie. I had it on the DVR for a while, but I didn’t get around to it before it got bumped for other stuff. I’ll look for it again.

  119. 119.

    Steeplejack

    @Leslie:

    There was a note earlier that they lost some images in the effort to fix the malware problem. I hope they can get them back.

  121. 121.

    rudderpedals

    Look at the jowls on the boss. Good looking kitteh. I bet he’s a drooler. ++congrats

  123. 123.

    dance around in your bones

    Well, he sure looks bossy – right up your alley John Cole.

    I have a feeling you two are going to be very happy together. Congratulations on your new cat! I’m sure the doggies will adjust fine.

  125. 125.

    SectionH

    YESYESYES! I know none of you cynical fuckers will believe me, but srsly I thought of Springsteen as his name this afternoon. Do not ask why, but I did.

    His real names will be revealed to John in time, and,possibly not shared, but that’s cool.

    Go Boss!

    Now I’ll back,and read comments. (I Always read comments before I post, which is why I don’t post that much.)

  126. 126.

    Gemina13

    Oh, what a handsome boy. :) Good for you, John. I hope you two have a long and enduring friendship.

  127. 127.

    MikeInSewickley

    That is a good looking cat. And from your other posting – I love all animals but a cat provides a special mix of independence and devotion that only semi-domesticated animals can provide. They need you but on their terms.

    Best of luck to a new start. Tunch approves I’m sure.

  129. 129.

    Cookie Monster

    Random trivia from the mists of time and half a world away…

    Boss Cat was the name “Top Cat” (the Hanna-Barbera cartoon) was known by from the mid-60s thru the mid-80s in the UK, because “Top Cat” was a brand of cat food, and the BBC — who showed the cartoon at that time — had (and probably still has — I’ve not lived there for a while) a ban on advertising/endorsing products.

    The theme and dialog remained the same, but it did have a rather crudely substituted title card, and the TV listings referred to the alternate moniker. Even as a kid, I was all “wtf…?”

    –CM

  132. 132.

    p

    purrfect
    whenever you think “who’s the boss?”, you’ll know it’s not you.
    of course tunch sent him to you.
    a paw in your face reaching through time and space, fat man.

  133. 133.

    skyweaver

    Welcome, Boss! John, you’ve got a big ol’ heart. And yeah, Tunch sent him. I can’t wait to read more Boss stories. What do the girls think?

  134. 134.

    wormtown

    Haven’t had time to read the whole thread, so maybe some one else mentioned this…..that is pretty close to how we used to call the cows at the end of the day to get them back to the barn: Come-buss; come-buss. Well, that’s how we did it in Western Mass, anyway….

  138. 138.

    tejanarusa

    Mostly visit here and lurk, but the news about Tunch was so stunning, I’ve been coming back to see how John was doing. So pleased that the new Boss is helping him heal.
    Naming is hard. when I found myself with five newborn kittens I just ran out of names, and called one lovely girl “Miss Orange” for the duration of her life. She seemed not to mind.
    Her little sister, who is equally orange, but whose name was obviously “Squeaky,” is here on the window seat a few feet away.
    Bless you John (and I mean that in the most non-denominational, non-specific religious sense possible), and Tunch for helping you find your new Boss.

  139. 139.

    RSA

    Welcome to the BJ community, Boss.

    Our Maine Coon mix looks a lot like Boss. Lessons we learned about the breed (though I may be over-generalizing):

    They are large and affectionate.
    They can be loud and demanding.
    They can climb. I’ve seen our cat climb ten or twelve feet up a tree, chasing a squirrel.
    They are not fast enough to catch squirrels.
    They are fast enough to catch lizards, voles, bats, and birds.
    They like to share their catches with us, often alive.

  140. 140.

    Mnemosyne

    @RSA:

    They like to share their catches with us, often alive.

    When your cat presents you with live prey, they’re trying to teach you how to hunt, because you obviously can’t take care of yourself, what with eating all of that food out of cans and boxes.

  141. 141.

    virginia

    Boss reminds me of the heart-stopping, jaw-dropping, ball-busting Sawyer from “Lost.” Same far away Hoss/Boss stare. Good for you, John Cole.

    Not to throw a bummer note into the mix, but I lost my most beloved dog many many decades ago to an automobile. And was never able to again commit to another pet fully because the heartbreak devastated me. I still cringe, wince, and shrink into myself when I think about what happened.

    I applaud you for forging ahead and honoring your beloved by loving again and anew. Very good looking individual and a big hug from me. I was late to the news and so felt your pain. Makes me happy, given another horrid week in USA news, to see this take place.

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